More comfortable finger sticks

Thanks Warren for yet another great idea! I still like your insulin syringe or byetta pen under the armpit the best. It's awesome! Keep thinking up new stuff. You make diabetes easier to handle.

Hi sunday,

A couple things about the lancet devices.  They are VERY VERY different than the ones used in the Dr.'s offices.  They looke like pens and have an adjustable depth control.  You push a button and the lancet comes out the end for a fraction of a second and then disappears back into the penlet device.  I use my penlet on the shallowest or second to shallowest setting and it is a very tiny stick.  The other thing is, do not test on the ends of your fingers.  This is where all the nerves are concentrated.  Test on the sides of your fingers as you will still get a good drop of blood but without invoking nearly the sensitivity as a fingertip stick.  Dr's finger sticks have improved vastly over the last couple of years, but the nurses are still pretty agressive as they want to get a good drop of blood the FIRST time without having to squeeze your finger so they really stick you.  I just find the penlet device takes the guess work and reticence out of the finger stick for me.  One button push and VOILA, its over and done with and I hardly feel it at all.

Warren

I too re use my lancets, I'll use one lancet for the whole day and I use the bd ultra fine 33. They are supposed to be the thinnest on the market, and they are awesome!

Thanks Warren, I use the One Touch Ultra Soft lancets. I called and found out they are 28 gauge. They don't make a 31 gauge. The higher the gauge the thinner. They said they don't make it becaue they feel it won't give enough blood My insurance company suppli all my diabetic supplies. I think I might look into those lancets and see if they'll work in my lancing device. or maybe buy them myself. I sometime use 1 lancet 10-15 times. I just forget to change them. I've got hundreds' of them. I'm definitly going to look into it. Thank you kindly. Steve Kreloff

To Warren, I called becton ****son Company at 1888 232 2737 They sent me 10-33 gauge lancets and lancet device to try. Theydo feel alot better than my 28 gauge 1 touch ultra soft. there was no charge . Ijust asked them if I could have a sample 33 gauge lancet. They sent me 10 and the lancing device. 33 gauge is the thinnest made. I believe they are the only company that makes them. Their meter also used .3 microleter of blood compared to 1.0 for one touch. I;m swithcing to the free style that uses .3 microleter of blood. My insurance company supplies me with strips Between the lancets and the different meter.it will be a little easier. Just wanted to pass this info on to you and others. Free Style meter and BD meter use the least amount of blood

Thanks Jennie. I have U.S. Healthcare. Aetna. I. work for the Commonwealth Of Penna. I do pay attention to very meticulous, minute, details. Every carb, every 1/4 pound, every ounce of food that I eat. I check blood 4-6 times a day. I'm taking 50-50 Humalog and regular humalog for adjustments. Saw my Endo last week , she told me to use regular Humalog for undershooting insulin. Humalog is not like lantus. This insulin thing is hardly an exact science. i'm 5ft 7 inches ,145 pounds. a little goes along way. See this is not just a disease, it almost has to be a hobby if you want to keep it under control. My next A1C IS 5/1 from my primary doctor. I'm thinking if it is not 6.0 or less than maybe lantus as my Basil insulin, and regular Humalog as my bolus insulin. Thank you for kind words. I just finished reading Think like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner MS, CDE,very good book, gained alot of insight. I'm going to the free style meter because of less blood needed.around 6/5.I get my supplies. Ijust feel we are all biochemically locked in and we have to live on a specific amount of food every day of our lives, that amount maybe different for all of us, bu that is the beginning of the story and the end of the story and we have to figure out the rest. Twice I've escaped Diabetic disaster . When first diagnosed, blurred visions, great weight loss, tingeling in toes, an terrible thirst,and about 8 months ago with A1C of 7.8. Got my wake up call. The threat is very real and very dangerous You appear to doing pretty good with this. I think this is even harder for woman because of the slower metabolic rate. I'm really glad I have insulin as one of my helpers. I just feel more confident with it. There is only 1 thing that matters and that is avoiding diabetic complications. I'm not into the game can you top this. Don't mean to sound morbid or so blunt, for me to give up . It would be like committing suicide. It would take my life 1 piece at a time. tried the egyptian river thing, you know denial, that did not work, I tried being. mad at my Doctor ,that did not work. Took my head out of the sand and that seems to be working. May all of us here try to stay very attenative and very motivated just do what we have to do. Take care, stay well -Steve Kreloff This thing is just an ongoing never ending learning experience and you have to figure alot out as you go along. You know those cakes where you just add a little water and maybe 1 egg and put it in the oven or microwave, I wish this disease was that simple, but it's not

Post Edited (steven k) : 4/8/2006 3:13:21 AM (GMT-6)